Kaori Sakamoto Retires from Competitive Figure Skating After Winning 2026 World Title

Kaori Sakamoto, the 2026 world champion, announced her retirement from competitive figure skating and revealed she had recently married during a news conference in Kobe on May 13, 2026. Sakamoto smiled as she held a bouquet of flowers while addressing reporters at the event.

Near the end of the retirement news conference, she told the room, "This is a personal matter, but I got married recently," prompting applause from those present, Japan Times reported.

The 26-year-old skater registered her marriage on May 5, 2026. She said her husband is the same age as her and is not connected to figure skating. The couple met while she was in university. Sakamoto has been a legendary figure skater throughout her career, culminating in her title as 2026 world champion.

Her retirement news conference marked the public close of one of Japanese figure skating’s most decorated careers. Japan Times reported that the personal announcement came as something of a final surprise from the skater at the Kobe event. The applause that followed her marriage disclosure underscored the warmth in the room as she concluded her competitive chapter.